


Completely Fascinating

by kaylaber1



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Au: T'pring is a historical officer on the enterprise, Fluff, I'm making it up as I go along, Multi, Questioning Sexuality, Spock and T'Pring are dumbass gay and useless lesbian solidarity, established mcspirk, idk if this'll earn an explicit rating or not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-07 22:15:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17969042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaylaber1/pseuds/kaylaber1
Summary: Humans are such fascinating creatures. It's no wonder they've grown so fond of them.





	1. Wanting

Lieutenant T'Pring had little understanding of the purpose of the social gathering which she was actively attending. She had assured the Captain that she really had no need of a "Welcome Party", but he had been rather insistent, claiming that it was an "Enterprise Tradition". The last thing she had wanted was to come off as insubordinate, so after a fashion, she had relented. Stubbornness, after all, was an illogical trait. Still, she felt quite out of place at this event that was supposedly in her honor, and had spent much of it in the corner of the rec room conversing with the only familiar face among the crew.

"Are you enjoying your party?" Spock asks, amusement sparkling in his eyes. She shoots him a subtle glare in response.

"I do not understand the purpose of such an event. From observation, it appears to merely be an excuse for the crew to intoxicate themselves." T'Pring punctuates this statement by raising her glass, full of a chocolaty liquid the ship's engineer refers to as a 'Yoohoo'. it is mostly untouched. Mostly.

"The purpose is merely to socialize with the crew. It is a way of 'easing the transition'. You are intended to make friends."

"Illogical." She near-scoffs.

"Quite." He agrees. "Nonetheless, it may prove beneficial to interact with your fellow crewmembers."

"Is that not what I am actively doing?"

"Not in the capacity intended."

"Elaborate."

"The purpose of a 'Welcome Party' is to introduce oneself to persons with whom they have no previous relation. You and I have known each other for 35 sols, and were bonded for 30 of them. To use a Terran expression, I simply 'don't count'." Spock responds. The corner of T'Pring's mouth twitches down ever so slightly. It's the closest thing to a 'pout' she will allow herself.

"I believe I understand now." She says flatly. "In that case, as you are more familiar with the members of this crew and myself, I propose the most logical course of action would be for you to facilitate an introduction."

"Very well." Spock replies, glancing around the room. Almost reflexively, She follows his gaze, although she has no idea who they're looking for. When Spock spots whoever it is he was searching for, he places a hand at the small of her back, guiding her along with him to a small group of female officers. Spock taps the one nearest to them lightly on the shoulder. T'Pring briefly wondered when Spock had gotten so comfortable with touch.

And then, the officer turns around. T'Pring's heart nearly stops. The woman was just a few inches shorter than her, with beautiful deep brown eyes and a smile that could outshine the sun. Her face was flushed from alcohol consumption and laughter, and when she noticed T'Pring, her smile seemed to grow impossibly larger. She had never seen a woman so lovely in her whole life. Her eyes widen in a rare display of emotion.

"Lieutenant Uhura, I'd like to introduce my...friend, Lieutenant T'Pring."

"Dif-tor heh smusma, T'Pring." Uhura says in flawless Vulcan, hand raised in the proper salute. "Welcome aboard the Enterprise."

"P-Peace and long life, Uhura." Her stutter was barely noticeable, but it earned her a raised eyebrow from her...friend. T'Pring paid him no mind, focusing instead on controlling her reactions to the sweet tones of the Lieutenant's voice. "I am grateful for thy hospitality."

"Well if there's one thing the Enterprise is, it's welcoming. There's a reason it's so hard to get a position here. I'm glad you were able to achieve that feat." And the way she smiles when she says it assures T'Pring that she really means it, too.

Controlling her emotions is proving to be a herculean task. To say Uhura was beautiful was an understatement. The woman was positively radiant. She was so warm and comfortable to be around, her Vulcan was perfect, and she spoke to T'Pring as though they were already companions. Against her will, T'Pring felt her cheeks grow warm. Without thinking, she tightens her grip on the glass in her hand- too tightly. Far too tightly. With a loud "Pop!", the glass shatters, chocolate flavored liquid and glass shards hitting the floor. The din that had filled the room stopped, and she was acutely aware that everyone was watching her with surprise. Even T'Pring herself is surprised, glancing down at the mess of Yoohoo, glass, and dark green blood that covered her hand.

"I apologize." She rushes to amend this situation, knowing that the faux pas she's committed is likely going to haunt the rest of her career. "I was distracted. That was rather careless of me."

"You _apologize?_ T'Pring, your hand is full of glass!" Uhura exclaims, side stepping the mess to stand at her side.

"Yes. That is a rather obvious conclusion, Lieutenant."

"A 'rather obvious conclusion' is that you need to go to sickbay and get that hand taken care of." Uhura says, gesturing for T'Pring to follow her. "C'mon, I'll escort you."

"....Thank you, Uhura."

When they arrive, they're greeted by a stern looking blonde woman who is already donning a pair of gloves. She's just tall enough that T'Pring would have to lift her chin to meet her eyes, should she so desire. As it is, she doesn't much wish to make eye contact with anyone.

"Lieutenant T'Pring, I take it?" The nurse says with something between a smirk and a smile. "I'm Christine Chapel. I will admit, this is not how I was envisioning our introduction."

"It is...unconventional, yes. But I imagine as a nurse you must be accustomed to it by now."

To her surprise, Chapel laughs, blue eyes sparkling with amusement. At her side, Uhura joins in, chuckling softly. The sound is far from disagreeable, but T'Pring is thoroughly perplexed by it.

"....Have I said something humorous?"

"No, not really sweetheart. Humans just find humor in all kinds of silly things is all. Now c'mon, let's get to work on that hand." Chapel says. Her voice is soothing. Melodic. It is a voice befitting of a healer, T'Pring thinks. She sits stiffly on the biobed, extending her hand.

It is hardly a secret that touching- especially of the hands- is an incredibly intimate gesture in Vulcan culture, and Christine Chapel is incredibly mindful of that as she removes tiny shards of glass from T'Pring's hand. Still, T'Pring can't seem to keep her mind off of the gentle pressure of Christine's hand around her own. She's stopped trying to fight the dusky green blush that's spread across her cheeks. Surely it qualifies as a logical response in this situation. Nonetheless, she intended to spend the rest of her evening in meditation attempting to dispell these feelings that were taking root in her.

"Lieutenant T'Pring, I cannot for the life of me figure out why an intelligent young woman such as yourself would _squeeze_ a _drinking glass_." Nurse Chapel says, picking a final shard from her hand and reaching for her regenerator. 

"I was...distracted. I did not realize I was exerting so much pressure upon the item in question."

"Oh? Distracted by what?"

"Lieutenant Uhura."

Chapel laughs again. It's a lilting, musical sound. She laughs often, it seems. T'Pring finds that she does not mind the sound, nor the emotional display that comes with it. Happiness suits Christine. T'Pring can feel the gashes in her palms and fingers knitting together as Christine passes the regenerator over her hand. She watches the process, transfixed by the visual. Sure, she knows the science behind such technology, but seeing it work, it seemed more like sorcery. That, of course, was illogical.

"Nyota certainly has that effect on people." Chapel says, packing the regenerator back into her medkit. "But don't tell her I said that. It'll go straight to her head."

"Straight to her...." T'pring echoes softly, trying to decipher the words. "I'm afraid I don't understand the expression."

"It means it'll inflate her ego" Christine smiles.

"Fascinating."

"Well Lieutenant T'Pring, you're good to go. Just no more breaking glasses with your bare hands, ya hear?"

"My hearing is not impaired and you are speaking quite clearly."

Another laugh. This one tugs on T'Pring's heart just as the communications officer's beautiful Vulcan had. She's beginning to think she's losing her mind on this ship, and it's only been a few hours. Perhaps her father had been correct, and she should have stayed on Vulcan and honored her bond with Stonn. It would have been miserably boring, but at least she wouldn't be here, losing her control over something as silly as a greeting or a laugh.

"I will retire to my quarters to meditate. Thank you, Nurse Chapel." She says stiffly, making for the door as quickly as she can without causing offence or suspicion.

"Anytime, dear."


	2. Better off Without it

"You've got a _thing_ for pointed ears, haven't you, Chris?" McCoy says, sitting on her desk.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Leo." Chapel says flatly, not even bothering to look up from her padd. She doesn't need to look at him to know the look he's giving her. She can _hear_ it in his voice, and she'd prefer not to acknowledge it.

"Oh ya don't?" McCoy presses, leaning in so that she has no choice but to look at him. "C'mon Chrissy don't play stupid. I saw the way you were looking at the new historical officer. You used to reserve those doe-eyes for Spock."

Christine sighs, putting the padd down forcefully on the desk. She clearly wasn't going to escape this interrogation, so she might as well give in. She crosses her arms over her chest and fixes him with a pointed glare. He doesn't appear to care, knowing smirk plastered firmly across his face. She briefly fantasizes about smacking it off.

"Interesting theory, Leonard. I hate to poke holes in it by reminding you that I'm attracted to _men._ " She says, unmasked irritation in her voice.

"Yeah? So? I'm attracted to women."

"I'm _only_ attracted to men, Leonard."

"Are ya sure?"

She went from irritated to offended in seconds flat. How _dare_ he?! This was absolutely out of line! He had no right! He- he had a point. Looking back, there was something undeniably, unprofessionally intimate about what had transpired in her sickbay last night. Still! He should've had the decency not to say anything about it!

"Dr. McCoy, that is a _highly_ inappropriate way to speak to an employee." Chapel says haughtily. "If you keep at it, I'll report you for harassment."

"Alright, alright, sheesh." He says, kicking himself off of her desk and holding his hands up in surrender. "All I'm trying to say was that there were enough sparks going off in here to start a wildfire. I don't want you denyin' yourself somethin that could make you happy.'

"What would make me _happy_ , Dr. McCoy, is if you'd quit prying into my personal relationships." She snaps, turning back to the padd on her desk.

"Okay, Chris. Message received." He says, leaning against the wall.

"Good."

They descend into a tense silence, and Christine tries her best to focus on the information in the report with the feeling of eyes on her.

"She's Spock's ex-wife, ya'know." McCoy says abruptly.

"I beg your pardon?" Christine asks without looking up.

"Lieutenant T'Pring. She's Spock's ex-wife"

"Uh-huh. And tell me, how did you come about _that_ particular bit of gossip, Doctor?"

"Oh I was at the wedding. Or well, what WOULD have been a wedding if T'Pring hadn't made Jim and Spock fight to the death for her hand in marriage."

Now he had her attention. She looks up from her padd again, quirking an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"It's a long story steeped in Vulcan tradition that I'm _technically_ not supposed to talk about." He says, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes

"Oh no. You can't do that to me, Leo. You started this, now you have to finish it."

"I can't tell ya any more than that, Chris! I took an oath. I can, however, say that Lieutenant T'Pring is one of the most intelligent and formidable women I've ever met." With a bit of a smile he adds, "Hell, if she wasn't spoken for and I weren't so taken with her ex husband, I might've made a pass at her m'self."

"Leo, you _hound_." She teases. "And what do you mean 'spoken for'? I thought you said the wedding was called off?"

"Oh it was. Y'see, while Spock was off galavanting around the universe, Miss T'Pring found someone else to keep her bed warm."

"Spicy. So if she's got a mate, why are you trying to set me up with her?"

"Well, no Vulcan in their right mind would leave the planet without their spouse. Believe me, I have firsthand experience. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that that affair cooled down real fast."

"Oh the 'only logical conclusion' huh?" She echoes with a smirk. "Why Leo, I think Spock might be starting to rub off on you"

"There is no need to be mean, Christine." He says, shooting her a glare.

"Hush. You know you love him."

"Yeah...I do." He trails off, glare turning briefly to a dopey smile before immediately being replaced with a scowl. "But don't go thinkin' that changes anything!"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Leo." She chuckles. "Now can you let me get back to actual work?"

"Alright, but you think on what I said, okay Chris?"

"Okay Leo." _Whatever you say_


	3. She's Lovely

Nyota sits in the mess hall, picking idly at her synthesized macaroni as Jim drones on and on about some book he read recently. Admittedly, she's not listening to him. Her eyes are fixed firmly to complex braids and pointed ears, staring at the Vulcan like a schoolgirl with a crush. Of course, that was exactly how she _felt_ , too. From the moment she'd accepted that video transmission from Vulcan, and T'Pring's elegant visage appeared on the transmission screen, she'd been smitten. Uhura could still remember the words that had fallen unbidden from her lips at the sight; _She's lovely....who is she, Mr. Spock?_. And then the crushing, sinking feeling at his answer; _She is T'Pring. My wife._ However, only just last night, Spock had called her his "friend". Vulcans choose their words very carefully, and almost never misspeak- Uhura knew that much- which meant that maybe, just maybe-

"Something on your mind, Lieutenant?" Jim asks, following her gaze.

"Y'know, as a matter of fact, there is." She responds

"Let me guess: T'Pring?"

"You shoulda joined the circus, Jim." Nyota jokes. "What with mind reading powers like that, you could make a fortune."

"If you're so taken with her, you should go talk to her." Jim says, taking a sip from his glass.

"You think so? Last night I tried that and she broke a drinking glass with her bare hand."

"I remember. Maybe don't 'distract' her so much this time." Jim teases, chuckling softly.

"Oh hush, you." She mock-scolds. "I'm going for it. Enjoy your lunch, Captain."

"You too, Lieutenant." He says with a wink as she picks up her tray and moves to the table T'Pring is sat at.

\---------

"Is this seat taken?"

"It is not occupied at present, no."

"Splendid." Nyota smiles, setting her tray down and sitting across from the Vulcan officer. "It is now. How's the hand?"

"It is healed. Nurse Chapel is a...highly competent officer."

"I've heard that said once or twice before." Uhura smirks, knowing what high praise that was from a Vulcan. "She certainly is good at what she does. And then some. How's the job treating you?"

T'Pring put her fork down, folding her hands in her lap. For a second, Uhura's worried she might have crossed a line somewhere, but then she speaks.

"It is proving to be rather...challenging. The Captain is fond of using colloquialisms with which I am unfamiliar. The Chief Medical Officer, even more so. I cannot work half as efficiently when I must waste time on researching phrases. Are you aware of the meaning of the phrase 'Angrier than a Jackrabbit in June?' It is virtually undecipherable."

Uhura can't help it. She tosses her head back and lets out a string of giggles. Someone as clever as T'Pring being stumped by McCoy's southern eccentricities was just undeniably amusing on its own, but hearing her say it in that even, emotionless tone was _hilarious_

"I fail to see the humor in this situation, Lieutenant Uhura."

"Well, first of all, I do know the meaning of that phrase. It just means the subject in question was quite angry. Dr. McCoy is from the southern United States. In some regions, phrases like that are quite common and merely serve as a way to exaggerate the sentence." She explains as clinically as possible.

T'Pring nods slowly, taking in the information, her fingers steepled in her lap.

"So, the Jackrabbit in June is not relevant?"

"No." Uhura smiles. "The Jackrabbit in June is not relevant. And as for why it's funny, well, many people find humor in a silly phrase uttered in a dry fashion."

"Fascinating." T'Pring says, raising an eyebrow.

Her brown eyes glance up to the clock in the mess hall and then back to Uhura, completely unreadable. 

"Thank you, Lieutenant Uhura. This conversation has been most informative, but I am due back at my post in 12.5 minutes. Perhaps we could do this again at a later date? I still have questions about Terran linguistics." 

"Of course! I'm more than happy to help, T'Pring. Same time tomorrow, then?"

"That would fit well within my schedule."

"Great! Then it's a date." Nyota says with a wink, watching T'Pring collect her things and stand from the table, trying to keep herself from staring too long at her legs.

"Yes. Live long and prosper, Uhura." T'Pring says, raising her hand in the appropriate salute.

"Peace and long life, T'Pring." Uhura responds, mirroring the action. She's careful to respond in English this time, not wanting a repeat of the night previous.

Nyota watches her go, emboldened by the fact that there was no way T'Pring could notice her staring at her ass as she walked away. Those regulation boots really did wonders for the behind.

"You think she braids her hair herself?" Jim says from behind her, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.

"Jesus, Jim!! Don't sneak up on me like that." She says, shooting him a sharp glare.

"I was hardly being sneaky, Nyota. Perhaps you were just 'distracted'." Jim smirks.

"Maybe I was." She says, biting her lip. "Can you blame me?"


End file.
